Escalator



May 5, 1936. K. H. w. HERKER E S CALATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1933 A ttornay May 5, 1936. K. H. w. 'HERKER ESCALATOR Filed Feb. 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r 0 lb n m I Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE ESCALATOR Kurt Heinrich Wilhelm Herker, Berlin, Germany 7 Claims.

The invention relates to an escalator which has the advantage of simplicity and low cost. Furthermore the escalator is proof against jamming and distortion.

According to the invention, the box-shaped frame usually employed is replaced by vtwo carrier beams of channel or like section metal extending throughout the length of the escalator, and between these carrier beams, at definite intervals, auxiliary frames are provided to extend transversely for supporting the rails for the steprollers. The construction of the escalator-can be further simplified and its cost reduced by subdividing the carrier beams, as hereinafter described. This much simpler construction affords better protection against distortion than does the lattice-work carrier usually employed, which twists slightly and causes jamming. This is an advantage not only in the carrier itself but also to the step carriage and the driving apparatus, which are protected against the consequences of distortion of the frame and which are provided of a determined form with the object of eliminating the disadvantages associated with such distortion. One construction of the apparatus accordr ing to the invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates the whole escalator,

Figure 2 is a section along the line Ill-11,

Figure 3 illustrates a detail part of the driving apparatus,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a part of the escalator frame construction,

Figure 5 is a detail side elevation, partly in section, corresponding to Figure 4, to an enlarged scale,

Figures 6 escalator rollers, and

Figures 8, 9, and 10 illustrate the step carriage.

As will be seen from Figure 1, the escalator consists principally of an endless chain of steps I. Each step consists of a step carriage provided with four rollers. On each side of the carriage a driving chain (numbered 2 and 3 respectively) is provided, and these chains connect the steps together. The rollers run on rails 4 and 5 as shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5. The whole escalator is supported on two longitudinal carrier beams 6 and I, which extend from end to end of the length of the escalator and which are rigidly connected at longitudinally spaced intervals by bracing and supporting frames comprising uprights 8 and cross pieces 8a suitably united to each other and sections through and '7 are sections taken through the Germany April 21, 1931 to the beams 6 and l. The uprights 8 of these bracing and supporting frames carry the rails 4 and 5 for the rollers on the steps I. As will be seen from Figure 1, each longitudinal carrier beam 6 and I is subdivided into the sections Ba, 6, 61) respectively. The lower sections 6a and la are supported not only at the lower end or building-in position but also by supports 9. The upper sections of the carrier beams are in the form of simple carriers on two supports, and they lie with their lower ends resting on the extended parts of the lower sections of the carrier beams. The connection is effected by coupling elements or links, as indicated at 10. By thus subdividing the carrier beams, the extent of stress on the upper sections of the carrier beams is considerably reduced. Furthermore, in the lower sections of the carrier beams the stresses arising from the direct loading of the steps and .those acting on the parts extending beyond the supports 9 counterbalance each other. The escalator according to the invention has the further advantage that the upper sections of the carrier beams may be designed in the first instance to withstand the bending produced by the load which they are required to bear. As the drawings clearly show, the escalator thus produced can be erected very easily and simply, the frame comp-rising only the longitudinal carrier beams and the auxiliary frames. These auxiliary frames or the longitudinal carrier beams may at the same time be provided with a covering, which may be, for example, of a homogeneous material, such as a gypsum wall with woven wire running through it or the like. With a suitable construction the longitudinal carrier beams may even serve as the track for the step rollers; this still further simplifies the construction of the escalator.

It will be observed that each lower carrier beam section So has a horizontal outer end portion whereby it is anchored at the lower landing and an inclined upper end portion, that each upper carrier beam section 6' has a horizontal outer end portion whereby it is anchored at the upper landing and an inclined inner end portion, and that the inclined intermediate section 61) of each beam is connected to and suspended by and between the inclined inner end portions of the sections 6a, 6. Also it willbe observed that the escalator frame formed by the beams 6 and transverse'bracing and supporting frame is mounted entirely independent of and in spaced relationto the side and bottom walls 'A, A of the escalator housing. This construction allows-repairs. to be made to the escalator structure without destruction of the en- ,55

tire housing and of the housing being removed and another provided in its place, when renovation of a building in which the escalator is arranged is carried out, without re-constructing or disturbing the escalator structure itself. This mounting of the escalator independent of the housing permits of the use of beam 6 of chansupporting frames may be mounted to project above and below the beams to form unitary supports for the upper andlower sets of supporting rails for the track rollers on the upper and lower stretches of the escalator conveyor and the guide rollers of the steps carried thereby. An escalator of very simple type and inexpensive construction may therefore be produced.

The escalator according to the invention has important advantages with respect to construction in that the longitudinal carrier beams can always be made in the same way-the lower sections of the carrier beams are the same whatever may be the length of the escalator. In the development of this construction the upper angular section may be constructed in the same way; a coupling element, such as a link being provided at about the position II, so that thus the main carrier beams consist of the two end sections (which are the same for all escalators) and a straight intermediate section, the length of which will depend upon the length of the escalator. The intermediate section of the carrier beam may be formed as a suspended carrier beam having a number of supports in the form of tension or A further development of the idea of avoiding jamming by means of a simplified construction of escalator consists in combining the gearing and the driving apparatus to form a unit, which is suspended from or supported by the sprocket wheel spindle which is mounted on the longitudinal carriers, and on'a suitable additional support. In the construction according to Figures 1 and 3, the escalator is driven by a motor I2 of the flanged type mounted on the gear casing I3 in which the transmission gear wheels I4 are carried. One support of the gear casing I3 is constituted by the spindle I5, which has mounted upon it the sprocket wheels Thus the usual machine and switch chamber at the upper end of the escalator is completely dispensed with. There is no need to place the gearing in such a chamber, which is usually rather difficult of access. The electric control apparatus hitherto provided in this chamber, namely switch and relays, are provided according to the invention at the upper end of the hand-rail enclosure, and the handrail is driven from the lower end of the escalator to which the tensioning mechanism is secured.

This construction of step has the advantage that the whole switch apparatus is moved from the inaccessible chamber beneath the upper end of the steps to a position which is easily accessible,

during operation without necessitating the removal of foot plates which renders the escalator impassable by passengers or at any rate passable only to a slight extent. In the example illustrated, the control apparatus I1 (Figure 1) is provided directly behind the return wheel I8 for the hand rail I9. The hand rail is driven by the shaft of the lower sprocket Wheels 2| for the step chains, the shaft being connected by chain drive 22 to one of the return rollers 23 for the hand rail. Further, at the lower end of the hand rail guide there is provided the tension roller 24, by which rail is held taut. however, be protwo end or turnterials, insulating substances and the like. These substances compensate for any inexactnesses that may occur during the erection of the escalator or during its operation, so that the steps themselves are not subject to additional stresses. Figure 4 illustrates such a roller. This roller consists of the body 26 and bush 21, and a tread ring 28 of alternate layers of rubber and linen or other fabric. The roller runs on a spindle 29 on the step carriage I. To prevent the rollers coming to rest relatively to the spindles 29 in the case of escalators inefficiently looked after and insufficiently lubricatedwhich would cause the rollers to drag along the rail 4 or the rail it is furthermore proposed to allow these rollers to run on the step spindles. This ensures less friction between the step spindle and the roller hub than there is between the rim of the roller and the rails. Consequently the rollers do not tend to slide along any surfaces and thus to produce jamming and distortion of the carriage I. According to Figure 6 the roller bodies used consist of rollers or sleeves 30 which on the one hand run directly on the spindles 29 of the steps and on the other hand run in the bushes 21 in the roller bodies. Alternatively graphite lubricating bearings or other bearings, or packings free from oil may be used between the roller bodies and the spindles.

Figure 7 illustrates a roller body with hollow cross-section which is supported upon the step spindle 29 by ball bearings 32. It is advantageous, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, to allow a certain amount of axial play 33 for the roller bodies 26 with respect to the spindle 29, at the roller bearings, so that the rollers can also be easily adjusted in the axial direction and additional stresses on the frames be avoided. These frames can then be built much more easily and simply, and the frame which has hitherto been usual and which provides connection between the parts of the steps and also in which the trea is provided, can now be dispensed with. 7

Figures 8, 9, and are sections of such an escalator step. This step consists of the two lateral parts 35, 36, the riser 31, the rear cross bar 38, and the tread 39. The tread connects together the lateral parts 35, 36 are turned inwardly at the upper end as represented by 3511 in Figure 9.

Furthermore the riser 31 may be bent back, or in place thereof an angle piece 40 may be provided to which the tread 39 is secured. The lateral parts carry a spindle M for the rear rollers 42, and the spindles 29 for the front rollers 26 of the step, the chains 2 and 3 engaging on the spindles 29.

The component parts of the invention may be varied in many ways. Instead of the covering material before referred to, a sheet metal or similar covering may be selected, which is prodced from a homogeneous material or of single plates or similar eleme ts and is carried by the auxiliary frames or by a main support. Instead of the hand rail being driven from the chain turning gear it may be driven from the chains themselves, the invention being concerned not with details but with the steps which are involved in simplifying the construction and avoiding the injurious consequences of jamming, stressing and the like.

I claim:

1. An escalator comprising a frame consisting of two longitudinal carrier beams extending from end to end of the escalator, a plurality of spaced transverse bracing and supporting frames disposed between and connecting the carrier beams at intervals along their length, and each including a pair of opposed uprights mounted upon the respective beams'and having portions projecting above and below the beams, and track rails supported upon upwardly and downwardly projecting portions of the uprights, a plurality of interlinked step carriages mounted upon the said track rails, and means for imparting movement to the said step carriages along the track rails.

2. An escalator according to claim 1, provided with longitudinal carrier beams each comprising an upper and a lower terminal section each having a portion inclined in the direction of inclination of the escalator and a straight intermediate section of determined length connected between the inclined portions of the terminal sections.

3. An escalator according to claim 1, provided with longitudinal carrier beams formed of upper terminal, lower terminal and intermediate sections, the intermediate sections being connected to and extending between the terminal sections, means for anchoring the outer ends of the terminal sections and supports for the inner ends of the terminal sections so positioned along the length of the terminal sections that the bending moments of the loads on the terminal sections between the said supports and the outer ends of the terminal sections are counteracted by the loads on the connected intermediate sections.

4. An escalator comprising a frame consisting of two transversely spaced carrier beams extending between upper and lower landings of the escalator, a plurality of transverse bracing and. supporting frames extending between and connected to said beams at intervals in the length thereof, each transverse bracing and supporting frameincluding opposed uprights mounted upon the respective beams and projecting above and below the beams, an endless conveyor providedwith track rollers and carrying pivotally mounted steps provided with guide rollers, and sets of track and guide rails for the track and guide rollers of the upper and lower stretches of the conveyor and the steps carried thereby mounted respectively upon the portions of the uprights projecting above and below the beams.

5. An escalator comprising a main frame formed of two spaced longitudinal carrier beams extending from end to end of the escalator, one on each side thereof, and each consisting of a terminal section anchored at the top of the escalator, a terminal section anchored at the bottom of the escalator, and an inclined intermediate section extending between and suspended from said top and bottom terminal sections, a plurality of spaced transverse bracing and supporting frames extending between and connected to the carrier beams at intervals along the length thereof and each including a pair of uprights mounted upon the respective beams and projecting above and below the same, track rails carried by the upwardly and downwardly projecting portions of the uprights, and a moving step carrier mounted to travel on said rails.

6. An escalator comprising a main frame formed of two parallel longitudinal beams disposed at opposite sides of and extending between upper and lower landings of the escalator, each of said beams embodying terminal sections fixed to supports at the escalator landings and an intermediate section suspended from said fixed sections thereof, bracing and supporting frames extending between and uniting the carrier beams at intervals in the length thereof, each bracing and supporting frame including uprights mounted on and having portions projecting above and below the beams, an endless conveyor provided with track rollers and pivotally mounted step carriages mounted on the conveyor and provided with guide rollers, and sets of tracks for the track rollers of the upper and lower stretches of the endless conveyor and guide rollers of the step carriages mounted respectively upon the portions of the uprights projecting above and below the beams.

'7. An escalator comprising a housing formed of bottom and side walls extending between adjacent floor landings of the escalator, a supporting frame anchored at its upper and lower ends from said landings so as to be supported from said anchored ends in suspension between the landings independent of the housing, said supporting frame including two suspension beams located one at each side of the frame and above the level of the bottom of the housing and transverse bracing and supporting frames arranged between and connecting the beams at spaced intervals in the length thereof, each bracing and supporting frame including a pair of opposed uprights supported on the respective beams and projecting above and below the plane thereof, an endless conveyor provided with track rollers and carrying pivotally mounted step carriages provided with guide rollers, and sets of track railsmounted on the uprights of the bracing and supporting frames above and below the level of the suspending beams for the travel of the track rollers on the upper and lower stretches of the conveyor and the guide rollers of the step carriages carried thereby.

KURT HEINRICH WILHELM HERKER. 

